“One Good Turn” audio book review

Something odd’s in Edinburg, Scotland, where a mystery novelist and a thug; a private detective and his actress girlfriend; a police officer and her son; a real estate tycoon and his wife; and a group of Russian cleaning women/prostitutes are on a crash course as their lives intertwine.

Jackson Brodie, from Atkinson’s “Case Histories,” is a central character. He sees things that set the plot in motion: the novelist trying to stop the road-raged thug from beating a driver, the body of a dead Russian cleaning woman/prostitute on a rocky shoreline.

Though the plot is sometimes confusing, all the major characters are quickly fleshed out, letting listeners become emotionally involved in their stories. And the story is fun, with the writing reminiscent of Elmore Leonard’s cleverness and Charles Dickens’ fondness for awkward and humorous coincidences.

Downes has a quick, no-nonsense voice that helps to intensify the pace and thrills of this enjoyably off-beat mystery.